


wherefore art thou, romeo?

by allucinoctis



Category: Kuroshitsuji | Black Butler
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Victorian, F/M, Forbidden Love, Inspired by Romeo and Juliet, References to Shakespeare, Victorian
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-23
Updated: 2019-08-29
Packaged: 2019-11-04 10:44:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 11,637
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17896967
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/allucinoctis/pseuds/allucinoctis
Summary: you're not a person of extreme importance.your older brother, however, is.while he's married and content, you're stuck with the looming pressure of finding a suitor of equal nobility as your brother.one day, the phantomhive household receive an invitation to a masquerade ball at the trancy estate. your older brother refuses the invite, insisting that it was intended to reach another earl.but what if you discreetly attend the ball and fall head-over-heels for the earl hosting the event?and he returns your feelings entirely?





	1. welcome !

hello, my dear readers !

this is a story i transferred from my wattpad (also @allucinoctis) to here because i noticed a distinct lack of anime fanfiction on my ao3 lmaoooo. i first wrote this like almost 4 years ago, and i was (and still am) so bad at updating so it progressively died over the course of those years.

i still plan to finish it, of course, however long that may take me. this was my first anime fanfiction that i fully dedicated myself to as a series, and alois trancy will always own my heart so this story means a lot to me. regardless of how many more years it will take for my lazy ass to complete this story, i hope you all enjoy what i have of it so far !

thank you so much for your ongoing support, my loves !!!

sincerely,  
\- allucinoctis


	2. mornings

 

**| Prologue |**

Warm sunlight filters through your bedroom window, making their way into your little chrysalis of duvets. You hear the footsteps of your maid silence when she reaches your bed.

"Miss _Name_ , you must get up now." She says softly, peeling back, layer by layer, the sheets to reveal your tired face.

"A couple more minutes, Caroline." You moan, nestling your face back into the sheets.

"Miss _Name_ , this is very unladylike." Caroline pulls back all of your covers. "Your schedule isn't that eventful, but you-"

You huff, "I'm getting up, I'm getting up." You sit upright, stretching your arms. Your maid passes your cup of tea, which you sip.

"Today, your schedule consists of meeting another suitor-"

" _Another_?" You scoff incredulously. "This surely must be the twentieth time . . . how many earls  _are_  there in London?"

"If you maybe were less negative and a little more welcoming, you would already have a suitable husband, my lady." Quietly, she takes your empty cup and places it back onto the tray.

Although she's a maid, you are quite close friends with Caroline. She is in her mid-twenties, so she is a very good source of advice. Also a very versatile servant.

Loudly, you groan once you see what outfit Caroline has prepared.

"A proper lady must present herself decently." Your blonde maid insists.

"Must I wear a  _dress_  all the time?"

The blonde shoots you a look.

Reluctantly, you drag yourself out of bed, pull off your nightgown and let Caroline - very painfully - apply your corset. Once you're changed and ready, you walk downstairs for breakfast.


	3. an invitation

**|** **Chapter** **One |**

"Good morning, _Name_." Elizabeth, Ciel's wife, chirps.

You groggily reply, "To you too, Lizzie."

Caroline shoots you a disapproving look, which you ignore. As you take your seat at the breakfast table, Mey-Rin places your plate and drink shakily on the table, and you thank her. She inclines her head and hurries away.

Soon, Ciel has come to sit at the other end of the table, holding a few envelopes.

***

Ciel has been in his office for more than a few hours, and that did not sound normal. So you decide to check in on your eighteen-year-old brother.

Lightly, you rap your knuckles on the door. "Ciel?"

"Who is it?"

"It's me, _Name_."

". . . come in."

You push open the door, and you see Ciel sifting through paperwork at his desk. Sebastian is placing empty teacups on a tray and leaves just as you step inside.

"What do you want?" Ciel demands impatiently as he scribbles something down.

You drag a chair and sit opposite him, and huff, "Hello to you too, brother dear."

He looks up briefly.

You take this as a sign to begin speaking. "What's keeping you in this office for so long?"

"I received a letter from another earl. I'm sure it was intended for another recipient, but mail rarely gets mixed up in London. He really is annoying, that Earl Trancy . . ."

**(Just a quick heads** **up** **,** **I** **ship** **Cielois** **so** **hard** **, it's** **not** **even funny. I will often drop in a few OTP moments here and there, so, watch out. ;D)**

"Is that the letter?" You query, seeing a shiny gold card with flamboyantly cursive writing. You pick it up, and read it.

_**Earl Alois** _ _**Trancy** _ __ _**gladly** _ _**invites** _ _**you** _ _**to a spectacular masquerade ball tonight at 9 pm.** _

_**It will be held in the Trancy estate, and all guests may explore the manor and grounds as they please.** _

_**Of course** _ _**, it is mandatory to dress formally and decoratively, with a mask.** _

_**After midnight, the gardens will be open for** _ _**refreshments** _ _**and entertainment.** _

_**We look forward to your attendance.** _

"It sounds very interesting. Why wouldn't you go?"

The dark-haired male sighs, obviously irritated. "Alois Trancy and I don't exactly see eye to eye."

"Whyever not? He sounds like a fun party host." You frown inquisitively at Ciel.

". . . who once attempted to murder me." He replies matter-of-factly.

"Did you do anything to him?" You inquire.

Ciel becomes quiet for a solid minute. He never had mentioned any Alois Trancy before, and certainly not of any murder attempts either. Of course, you're aware that Ciel has been on many missions assigned by the Queen, but you were never fully informed and almost always left in the dark.

You guess that Alois and Ciel have a past that your brother would rather forget, so you don't press on for more information.

After a while, Ciel clears his throat and says, "_Name_ , don't you have a suitor to meet in an hour? Lucas, I think his name was."

You inwardly moan. "Why must I get married? Can't I just move out on my own and earn my own living?"

"That's not very respectable for a lady of your position, _Name_."

"No,  _I'm_  not important." You narrow your eyes, ready to rant to Ciel. " _You're_  the Queen's Loyal Guard Dog,  _you're_  the one well-known for handling London's criminal Underworld,  _you're_  the one mother and father knew would have a bright future. All I am is your younger sister who must stay silent and unseen and has to stay here because, apparently, ' _a lady of my_ _importance_ _must be married to someone of equal nobility_ '. I'm trapped here, and day after day, I must meet earl after earl, man after man, just so I can marry one and live unhappily but respectably for the rest of my life. I have to wear tight corsets, necklaces that almost choke me and heels so high I can barely walk.

All because . . . what?" You quieten your voice slightly. "' _You are a female Phantomhive. You must act like one_.'" You quote, word-perfect, what your mother had said to you, many years ago, when you refused to take ballet lessons.

Ciel tilts his head to the side, when your venting finally finishes.

You assume it means that he's incredibly bored and you just wasted five minutes of his time, so you shoot up from your seat and rush out of the room. Sebastian soon goes back in, and you hear a sliver of their conversation.

"What happened, my lord?"

"_Name_ had an unexpected outburst. She refuses to get married."

***

You have officially decided to go the masquerade tonight.

You were going to wear a simple dress at first, but you then decided to make a statement with a ruffled gold and royal blue gown, and a feathered masquerade mask with matching colours.

It wasn't because you particularly liked the idea of a ball, it was that you wanted to rebel against Ciel and the Phantomhive name. You decided to use an alias if anyone asked for your name there, and you planned to stay there until 3 am.

Caroline was completely in the dark regarding your plans, since you don't intend to tell anyone.

You know it's risky, and anything could happen. But you wanted to live on the edge a little more, and meet new people.

Who knows . . . maybe you'll even fall in love tonight.


	4. a masquerade

**| Chapter Two |**

"I'm not sure what to do, Sebastian." Ciel sighs, slightly frustrated.

Quietly, Sebastian pours more tea into a cup. "Perhaps you should try apologising, my lord."

"She's probably too mad with me to even open her door. Besides, I'm sure she wants more than an apology."

"What do you mean, master?"

"I've been thinking about what she said, and I'm certain she feels as though she's endured years of neglect and being ignored. I don't think a simple 'sorry' will mean anything to her." The male Phantomhive explains.

His butler goes silent for a minute. Sebastian then thoughtfully replies, "Nevertheless, my lord, I'm positive Lady _Name_ would appreciate you going to talk to her."

". . . perhaps you're right, Sebastian." Rising from his seat, Ciel decides to properly speak with his sister.

***

Trying to be as stealthy as possible, you sneak past the laundry room to get to the back garden.

You hear Mey-Rin hum to herself as she organises the laundry, and the light drone of the machine. Suddenly, there's a loud crash from outside, and you suspect Finny dropped another mass of flower pots.

Hurrying past, you hope Mey-Rin didn't hear anything. Unfortunately, the door flies open with Mey-Rin staring curiously at you.

"Miss _Name_ , what are you doing here at this hour? Shouldn't you be in your room?" She then properly assesses you - your fancy attire, elaborate hair and precise makeup. "And in all that? Thought you weren't that type, m'lady."

Mey-Rin is definitely no idiot - you've known that since the day she was employed. She may be as blind as a bat some of the time, and extremely clumsy, but she was sharp, attentive and astute. There's no point lying to her.

You sigh before beginning.

"I'm going to the ball at the Trancy manor."

A solid minute passes as she processes what you said. Then she blinks.

"Miss _Name_ . . ." She starts slowly. "Y-you're planning to go to an event the master would never even consider?"

You nod, not sure where Mey-Rin is going with this.

"Do you know how dangerous th-that sounds . . . as well as really exciting?!" The maid's face lights up. "Why didn't you tell any us servants sooner?"

This is an exceedingly unexpected reaction from Mey-Rin, so you're not sure how to reply.

"Never mind that, then. How were you planning to get there, anyhoo?" The maid asks.

You're ready to answer, but you remember that you were planning to just catch a taxi carriage all the way to the estate.

"Surely you were having a carriage taking you there?"

"I was . . ."

"I'll get a few of the horses prepared for you, miss. I have been trained to drive a carriage, miss, so don't worry."

*~*~*

"Thank you so much for this, Mey-Rin. You honestly didn't need to, but thank you."

"It's absolutely no problem, m'lady. I'm simply carrying out my duties as a Phantomhive servant."

She's already taken you outside the mansion, and you must admit, this Alois Trancy sure has a beautiful taste regarding decoration.

Carefully, you step out the carriage. Mey-Rin waves you goodbye before she commands the horses to gallop off.

You notice there are dozens of other party guests, chatting excitedly as they all approach the entrance to the manor. You follow suit, hoping to not attract any attention to yourself. As you walk, you think about what alias you would give yourself and anyone were to ask about you. Eventually, you decide to call yourself Isabel Hadley, a common name you had heard around London before.

Soon, there is a crowd at the door, a loud hum of many conversations. You observe all the people; they're all obviously aristocrats, dressed head to toe with decorative clothing and the poshest accents tainting their voices.

After some time, the doors dramatically swing open, silencing everyone.

A tall man dressed in black, presumably a butler, appears in the doorway. He has glasses perched at the bridge of his nose, and slightly messy, jet-black hair.

"Good evening, one and all. I am Claude Faustus, the butler of the Trancy estate. I would like to thank you for coming to the ball tonight. We hope that you enjoy your time here. I apologise for his highness's absence; he has some business to attend to but he shall join you all soon."

He speaks with confidence and almost complete monotony, as if he has practised what he said over and over until he grew bored.

Instantly, everyone floods in, "ooh"ing and "aah"ing over the interior of the mansion. The colour theme is navy and gold, a beautifully designed chandelier at the centre of the ceiling, elaborate designs are etched on each wall and the carpet is winding with intricate patterns.

"Please do explore the mansion as you like. However, we request that you do not go upstairs as there is nothing of interest going on up there." Claude says solemnly. He then leaves silently.

You walk into the ballroom, as that is where everyone else is heading. It's, of course, brilliantly adorned with gold and navy decorations. A lively violin is being played by Claude, who has somehow perched himself on a balcony near the ceiling. Three identical boys are strumming cellos behind Claude.

The refreshment table has cakes and pastries laid on one side, while drinks on the other. You pour yourself some of the purple liquid and take a few sips. Grape and blackcurrant, you recognise.

"What do you think of the party?"

You jump, slightly startled, and turn to see the source of the voice. There stands a tall male, golden blonde hair swept to the side, sky-blue eyes locking with your _e/c_ ones and a small smirk on his lips.

"Well?"

You clear your throat, and reply, "It certainly is quite entertaining. Your butler is quite the violinist."

The blonde chuckles. "Claude is very versatile."

Absorbing his appearance thoroughly, you assume he is the fabled Alois Trancy. He's wearing booty shorts, that surprisingly suit him well, and he's actually very good-looking.

"May I ask, what is your name, miss?"

"Isabel. Isabel Hadley." You answer smoothly, setting down your drink. "And you are Alois Trancy, am I correct?"

The blonde tilts his head and smirks. "Clever one, aren't you?"

"I try."

He laughs, a sweet and musical sound. Then he holds out his hand. "Well, Isabel. You've genuinely entertained me. May I have this dance?"


	5. little talks

**| Chapter Three |**

You glance briefly at the earl's hand.

Then you wonder as to why you're hesitating. You came here to have fun, right? To escape the boring prison cell of the Phantomhive manor. Why not forget everything and dance with the attractive blonde?

"I'd love to."

He grins as you place your hand into his. The music steadily changes to a serene melody - one that would fit a slow dance. The earl slips his arm round your waist, while the other clasps yours. A pleasant shiver dances up your spine when he touches you, and you're baffled as to how he has that effect on you when you've only known him for five minutes.

Graceful and obviously well-practised, Alois dances perfectly in sync with the music. You're quite impressed; Ciel couldn't dance even if his life depended on it.

Soon, the music slows down and there's a moment of silence. People gaze quizzically at Claude, wondering where the music went. Quickly, though, a lively rhythm begins and builds up.

Alois turns to you, asking, "Can you dance to this kind of a jig?"

After years of dance lessons on several different types, of course you knew how to dance to something like this.

You begin the dance, tapping your feet. Alois evidently looks impressed, then follows suit.

"You're really good at this." He comments, while you both spin briefly.

"I try."

***

Occasionally you sip your glass of wine as Alois leads you through the gardens. It's beautiful, you admit - all the roses have been neatly trimmed of their thorns, bright and fragrant flowers wrap themselves round metal arches and there's a fountain at the centre, spewing water into a crystral-clear pool.

The conversations between you two began with small talk, then you both complained about balls and dances and you instantly clicked.

"I don't think people really understand." Alois begins, looking straight at you. "Sure it's great, living in a mansion with servants who will do anything you command, but it's awfully dull. When you're high status, you have to marry someone as important as you, as rich and as wealthy. It's really bothersome, because I'm really not into having a partner prepared for me, as it's nowhere near as much fun as finding one myself."

"I get what you mean  _entirely_." You can easily relate to him, you had yet to find a suitor yourself. "Just because you're a noble, you must marry a noble regardless of how you feel about each other. And when you do say 'I do', you don't do anything except look good and take care of children."

Alois properly looks at you now, as if he's trying to decipher your background by what you just said. His eyes are beautiful - as blue and as clear as the summer sky. They have a curious sparkle dancing in the back of them while he has his head tilted. You turn your head as his piercing gaze is hard to compete with.

"I realise I've never asked about your background. May I?"

Blinking, you stare at him. You've given him a false name, so you could just continue feeding him stories, right? But he has a specific air about him - like you can't deny or lie to him or he would willingly gauge your eye out. Also, you find that you don't want to lie to him.

"I'm the younger sister of an earl." At least you told him half the truth.

"Oh, you are?"

"My brother wasn't able to come, so I decided to attend."

"That would explain things. Isabel, you said your name was, am I right?" He asks.

"That's my name, don't wear it out." You smile humourlessly; you feel bad as you continue lying to him.

The blonde checks his pocket watch, and looks back at you. "Well, it's getting quite late, and the rest of the aristocrats must be wondering where I ran off to. Will you come back with me?"

You want to say yes, but you remember how you didn't plan to stay here for long. This blonde earl has made you feel different, but you promised to be discreet so you could make it back to the Phantomhive estate without anyone noticing you were gone.

"I'm terribly sorry, but I must be getting back to my manor. My carriage will arrive anytime soon." Although you doubted Mey-Rin would remember to arrive.

"What a shame. And you're such a cute and interesting thing to be around. Well, I hope we meet again, my dear Isabel." He winks at you, and lightly brushes his lips against your hand. He then walks away.

Your heart is now pounding.

***

To your surprise, Mey-Rin had arrived on time and swiftly took you home. You step off the carriage, once again thanking the maid, and rush inside.

It looks like no one noticed your absence, so you quietly walk to your room, feeling relieved.

You pull open the door, to find Ciel sitting at your bed.

"You're back." He says monotonously. You hate it when Ciel does this, because you can never fathom his emotions.

"What do you want?" You huff, walking over to your wardrobe.

"It's just . . . you weren't here all night." Ciel shrugs, still not revealing any sort of feeling.

You snort. "Wow, you noticed me for once. Now stop bothering me, like you have been for the last seventeen years of my life."

"Where were you, _Name_?" He inquires simply.

"Why do you  _care_?" Violently, you pull your nightgown out of your wardrobe.

"I'm your older brother. I have every right to know where you disappear off to late at night. And why." He still has kept his composure.

"You don't treat me like a sister. In fact, you treat me like a wild animal - keeping me locked up in a cage, away from the rest of the world."

"I'll ask you again." Ciel coolly says. "Why and where were you gone all night?"

"I was getting away from the cage I'm stuck in." You reply, sitting at your dressing table.

"Take things seriously for once. Where were you all night?"

You blow up, you can't take it anymore. "I was at the Trancy masquerade, okay? Are you happy now? I spent the entire night away from this prison I'm kept in all the time. And you know what? I enjoyed myself. I danced, I talked and I met someone new."

Now Ciel shows a look of horror on his face. "Who did you meet?"

You smirk, happy that you finally got a response from him. "Earl Alois Trancy."

"And you thought it was okay for you to leave the manor to see the likes of him without my permission  _because_?" Ciel demands.

Rolling your eyes, you take the pins out of your hair. "You don't own me, Ciel, I can leave when I want and meet who I want. Besides, the invitation invited the  _Phantomhives_ , not specifically  _you_."

The brunette scoffs, obviously annoyed. "You know what?" He begins. "I shall not allow you to leave anymore. You are staying in this manor until you marry, _Name_ , and your opinions are irrelevant."

Furiously, he storms out of the room, and you hear him yelling for a servant to keep you under surveillance.

You sigh. It doesn't bother you, what he said. It would be no different to how you've been treated for the last seventeen years. You just hope Mey-Rin wouldn't be punished for helping you.

Quietly, Caroline enters, holding a tray with tea and small cakes. She lays it on your bedside table. She's just about to open her mouth, but you interrupt her.

"I don't need a telling off from you, either, Caroline. But thank you for the refreshment."

Your maid inclines her head, and leaves the room.

Then you continue in removing all your makeup.


	6. conversations at midnight

**| Chapter Four |**

Ciel had kept to his word.

Your door was locked tightly from the outside; it was only unlocked for Caroline so she could bring your meals and clean your room. Your brother even had a bathroom built right next to your bedroom so your freedom was limited even more.

You passed your time by reading the books on the several bookshelves you owned, drawing still life and occasional portraits of people. You even got so bored that you drew Alois.

Alois Trancy. In a way, you kind of missed him - he seemed like such an interesting person, and he made your heart flutter a few times. You often pondered over the feeling he has given you. Was it love? Or was it the kind of feeling two close friends would have?

At night, you sometimes talked to yourself. You only had Caroline to talk to, and even then Ciel must have ordered her to stay quiet because she barely said anything nowadays. It was getting awfully lonely; you honestly only had yourself to talk to. You're a good listener anyway. It's been a month since you've been on lockdown, so you may as well amuse yourself.

One night, you're finding it particularly difficult to sleep. Probably because of the booming crash of thunder that interrupted the silence you were used to.  Although you did find slight comfort in the sound of something to replace the normal lack of it. Huffing, you shift in your position.

If you shoved the duvet off of you, it was like being tossed into a freezer. If you kept the duvet on, it was like being in an oven with the highest gas mark. Either way, the storm outside relentlessly raged on.

You consider the idea of climbing out your window and running to the Trancy estate. Even if Ciel finds out and becomes livid, there's not much else he could do to you, right? Besides, would anyone even hear you scrambling out the window in the deafening crash of the thunder?

But then you remember that Alois, although carefree and attractive, is still a busy earl and you doubt he'd take kindly to a soaking wet runaway at the doors of his mansion at an ungodly hour in the morning. What time was it, anyhoo? All these days spent in this one room had really toyed with your perception of time. The fact that there wasn't a clock in the room didn't help.

Your thoughts continue wandering round in your mind until you hear a quiet scratch in the direction of the window. Confused, you stay still and silent while the sound continued. Extremely slowly, you tug yourself out of bed and grab the nearest object that looked like a weapon (which, unfortunately, was simply an umbrella). You gingerly advance towards the window, your breathing becoming a little shallow now.

Yelling out "who's there?" always got people killed or traumatised in the theatre plays you had seen with Ciel when you guys were much younger, so instead you cautiously peer at the window from a safe distance.

All of a sudden, the scratching is replaced with the sound of someone forcefully pushing the window open. Your heart thumps in your chest and trying to control your breathing, you gulp.

Silence.

You desperately want to believe that the sounds before were only your imagination and the silence is proving it, but your instincts are still shrieking at you to distrust the lack of noise.

Right when you are about to trudge back into bed, the window bursts open, and in tumbles a person.

They're upside down, so their hair is flipped and their face is exposed in a very attractive way. Their figure is only halfway inside, so half their body still hangs outside. 

Dripping wet and immensely cold, Alois Trancy smiles.

"Well, hello there . . ."

You frown. The first thought that springs to you is,  _what on earth is he doing here at this time of the fu-_

"Isabel."

Upon seeing your brandished  _weapon_ , he raises his hands (looking quite odd in his position) and wears that gorgeous little smirk. 

"Not to worry, it's only me. The neighbourhood spider." 

He winks at you.

"Oh my god, Alois!" You huff, exasperated. "Do you know what time it is?"

Furrowing his eyebrows and looking up (or in his case, down), he considers your question. "Time to wake up the maiden that stole my heart?"

He sees your scowl then chuckles. "But, from the looks of it, you were already awake."

You realise how funny it is, the guy you were just thinking about heroically, though also quite comically, bursts in with a few subtle flirting attempts. Deciding you can't leave the poor fellow halfway into your room, you walk over and help him up.

"Just couldn't get enough of me, could you, Trancy?"

"You could say that, Isabel Hadley."

_Oh god, that smirk._

"Although . . ."

Thoughtfully, he looks at you.

"I guess I should really be calling you _Name_ Phantomhive."

Pure shock paints your features as you stare, dumbfounded, at the earl. Then, you reconsider and realise that it wasn't all that shocking. If he truly thought your name was Isabel Hadley, then he wouldn't be at the Phantomhive manor, would he? It makes sense now. Nevertheless, you want more answers.

"Oh, please." He ambles over to your bed and perches himself on the edge, resting his elbow on his knee and his chin in his hand. "As aloof as I seem, my dear, I have an impeccable memory and I specifically recall inviting the Phantomhives, not any Hadleys, to my little party. And since Ciel wasn't here and everyone else on my list was, by process of elimination, you had to be from the Phantomhive household.

Don't get me wrong; it most certainly wasn't easy. You see, Ciel never mentioned having a sister, or having any living relatives for that matter, either. He hates me, and indeed I understand why, I still can't seem to wrap my head round the fact that regardless of my efforts, he still refuses to talk to me. We have so much in common, and I think there was a point where my slight infatuation with him became love. I mean, he never returned my feelings, instead he plunged a sword into me and handed my fate into Claude's versatile hands."

Now, you notice his eyes glass over with what you think are tears.

"I've always been second best. Claude never loved me, even when I was on my knees begging for his affection. I always got people I cared about taken away from me, so I stopped caring. And even when I started caring again, it's not returned." A look of slight anger now etches itself onto his features. "Why does everyone leave me, _Name_? Am I really that easy to hate? Every time I look into Claude's eyes, all  I see is him silently mocking me, letting me know that he'd happily kill me the first chance he gets.

Sometimes, I'm so alone with my thoughts that I feel he must be right. Maybe I should die? There's no point in me being here, the Queen would easily forget me and turn her attention back to her loyal watchdog."

His little rant brings you great sadness and you immediately rush over to him, holding his hand.

"You're not that easy to hate, Alois. You're not pointless and certainly don't deserve to die."

He smiles at you. "You're absolutely amazing, you know. Especially compared to Ciel. Meeting you and conversing with you was very fun, as not only did I get to know a Phantomhive, but I also got to know you in a way I doubt Ciel ever did."

Shrugging, you decide to also begin a little rant. "Believe it or not, but I've also always been second best to Ciel. Mother and father often focused their affection on him and I was simply stuck in his shadow. When I heard that you invited him to your masquerade, I initially was confused because Ciel never mentioned anything about you, so I had no idea who you were. But I soon thought I should go because the party sounded fun and because I wanted to rebel against Ciel and prove he has no right over me.

I then met you and you struck me as intriguing and I loved talking to you. I didn't want to have to go home but if I wanted to ensure that Ciel didn't catch me, I would have to be back at the manor when everyone else would be asleep. Once I made it back, I found that Ciel had caught me and now I'm locked in my room until I find a suitor."

Sighing heavily, you look back at Alois. He's an excellent listener, you have to admit.

"It seems we have many things in common, then." His smile is slightly sad, so you shuffle closer and sling your arm round him comfortingly.

Suddenly, there are a few knocks on your door. Eyes widening, you usher Alois under your bed and whisper-yell to him to stay silent.

"Lady _Name_?"

Caroline.

You exhale slowly. To fool her into thinking you just woke up, you make your voice sound groggy and half asleep as you answer.

"What is it?" You call back.

"I was just wondering if you were alright, miss, as I heard a bang and some voices."

You pointedly glare at Alois, and from under the bed he sheepishly grins.

"I'm fine, Caroline. You must be imagining things."

There's a pause, and you guess that perhaps Caroline indeed thinks she was just imagining things.

"As long as you're okay, my lady. Goodnight."

Then you hear your footsteps fade away, signalling she's gone.

Once you're certain that she left, you once again glare at Alois.

"You're a very bad boy, Alois." You try to say with as much seriousness as possible, even though the statement just makes you want to giggle.

Raising an eyebrow and putting on a smirk, he perches his chin onto his hand. "Then punish me, m'lady."

"Let me rephrase that, then - you're a very bad as well as  _kinky_  boy."

The two of you laugh.

"Well, my dear _Name_, I think I might have to head home now. Hannah and the rest of my servants must be slightly worried." He pulls himself out from under your bed and stands up. "Unless, of course, you'd like to come back with me."

Your mouth forms the shape of an 'o'.

"I'd love to, Alois . . ."

His eyes light up.

" . . . but I'm not certain. Ciel is an overbearing dictator, not to mention my brother. I can't just up and leave."

The happiness fades from his face.

"Well . . . if you're sure." He brushes himself down and is about to leave.

"But . . ." 

_Why shouldn't you go?_

Finalising your thoughts, you smile. "I'm sure one day over at your manor wouldn't be a crime." **(a/n: you lil sinnamon roll)**

Instantly he turns around, a huge grin on his face. Grabbing your hand, he pulls you out your room and to the window.

"Your carriage awaits, m'lady." He winks, showing you a small carriage just outside your manor, hidden behind the huge gates.

"You planned this, didn't you?"

"Maybe, maybe not." There's that smirk again.

Laughing, you allow him to help you out the window and silently run across the gardens, through the rain. You squeeze through the gates and he takes you into the carriage.

He calls out to the carriage driver (Hannah) and you and him ride off into the night.


	7. bedsheets brighter than my future

**| Chapter Five |**

The sound of joyous laughter fills the manor as you and Alois bustle in. Inside, it's considerably warm and your cheeks become a pale pink at the sudden change of atmosphere.

"I'm so happy you decided to come." A huge and contagious grin spreads on the blonde's face as he grasps your hand. "We'll have the most grand of times, I promise you!"

You smile warmly back. "Of course, Alois. I couldn't resist the invitation to spend a day - potentially the rest of my life - with a kinky little blonde like yourself."

Winking, he pulls you through the hallway (that still looks as extravagant as it did on the day of the masquerade) and along a stretching corridor. He goes to the right, opens a door and smiles as he brings you further into the room.

You blink, shocked.

It's a gigantic expanse of a library with more books that you could possibly count lined up on numerous shelves. Detailed and colourful paintings decorate any bare space on the walls. There's a lit fireplace in it, so the air is cosy and inviting. You're a committed adorer of books, stories, poetry and anything arty therefore this place is a literal heaven on earth for you.

"Wow." Is all you can say at the amazingness before you.

"I take it that you like it?" Alois asks, smiling hopefully.

"Unconditionally." You breathe in awe, pivoting to properly observe the library. Rushing up to the nearest bookcase, your fingers brush against the unimpaired, smooth spines of several hardbacks. There was a library back in the Phantomhive manor, but it was half this size and the books were all read thrice by you. Besides, they were often boring history books about the family history of the Phantomhives (and since you were never particularly valued, your family's success story disinterested you).

You grab a book at random; 'Beauty and The Beast'. You'd read this many times back at your family's estate. You begin picking books from the shelf: 'Alice's Adventures In Wonderland', 'Snow White and The Seven Dwarves', 'Sleeping Beauty' . . . stories that you enjoyed endlessly as a child.

Spotting your obsession with the books, Alois walks over and picks up the Lewis Carroll novel. "Would you be so kind as to read to me, m'lady? I've always struggled finishing a story."

Looking up at him, you consider it. You haven't read out loud before and you haven't read 'Alice's Adventures In Wonderland' in quite a few years. Deciding you may as well, you take his hand and sit down at the closest seat.

Settling down, you open the first page. Alois lies down and rests his head in your lap. Once you're happy with his level of comfort, you begin reading.

" 'Alice was beginning to get very tired of sitting by her sister on the bank, and of having nothing to do: once or twice she had peeped into the book her sister was reading, but it had no pictures or conversations in it.  _And what is the use of a book_ , thought Alice,  _without pictures or conversations?_ ' "

The adorable **(a/n: lil bby cinnamon bunnnn)**  boy hums in agreement from your lap.

" 'So she was considering, in her own mind (as well as she could, for the hot day made her feel very sleepy and stupid), whether the pleasure of making a daisy-chain would be worth the trouble of getting up and picking the daisies, when suddenly a White Rabbit with pink eyes ran close by her.' "

Alois lazily cracks open one eye; a signal for you to continue.

" 'There was nothing so very remarkable in that; nor did Alice think it so very much out of the way to hear the Rabbit say to itself 'Oh dear! Oh dear! I shall be too late!' (when she thought it over afterwards, it occurred to her that she ought to have wondered at this, but at the time it all seemed quite natural); but, when the Rabbit actually took a watch out of its waistcoat pocket, and looked at it, and then hurried on, Alice started to her feet, for it flashed across her mind that she had never before seen a rabbit with either a waistcoat pocket, or a watch to take out of it, and, burning with curiosity, she ran across the field after it . . . "

***

Warmth encases you in a welcoming embrace. As you slowly allow your eyelids to open, you note that the sunlight is hitting you in a different angle from how it usually does every morning. And you feel an unfamiliar pair of limbs clutching you.

_where in the actual fuck am I and what the fuck is happening omg_

**(a/n: you don't understand how desperately I wanted to type that ohhllorttt)**

Then you realise . . .

You're in the Trancy estate, aren't you? You agreed to come here with Alois. You read a book to him, but the events after that are fuzzy.

Somehow you ended up in his bedroom. Fun, right?

Gradually, you sit upright and observe your surroundings. Alois' bedroom is awfully clean, with intricate wallpaper patterns and a large wardrobe in the corner.

Glancing down, you see the blue-eyed blonde next to you, eyes closed and sleeping soundly. His lips are perfectly doll-like, his eyes hooded with long eyelashes. He looks so at peace, you dare not wake him.

Another thing you notice is your lack of clothing.

You're not naked - just barely covered. You're wearing a fluffy nightgown which isn't revealing as such, but you're just confused as to how it got on your body.

Oh, well - at least you're warm and snuggling up with your potential boyfriend, right?

Your shuffling stirs the said boy and his azul eyes flutter open. Once he registers you, he smirks.

"Good morning, sweetheart."


	8. do i wanna know?

**| Chapter Six |**

"Nice to see you awake." The blonde smiles sleepily, shifting in his position.

You reply with a chuckle. "You've been awake for as long as me at the moment."

"Fair point." He yawns, eyes fluttering closed again. "At least you slept with me."

Slowly, you stretch out your limbs before realising what Alois just said.

"Wait . . . I slept with you?" You query, panic flaring up in your chest. Did you?! How can something like that happen without you being aware? Is that how you ended up naked at some point? Did you well and truly want to lose your virginity to a boy you barely knew?

Said boy flashes his cerulean hues at you once more, before laughing lightly. "Not like  _that_ ," he assures you, rolling his eyes, "but I would not object whatsoever if you wanted to . . ."

"I'll pass, for now." You laugh. "I am  _far_  too young and innocent for that sort of thing."

"Oh really?" Alois asks, lilting his tone with seductive question. "How old are you exactly?"

"I'm seventeen." You answer, momentarily forgetting your age. Birthdays (at least yours, anyway) were never valued in your household so your years would often slip from your memory. "Although . . . I do think my birthday is . . ." you ponder the date, since you're not sure at all. "I actually have no clue. I remember having a mini birthday last year where I got a small cake and a book as a present, but I don't know when it was. I'm guessing I'll probably be eighteen soon."

" _I_   recently turned eighteen, I'll have you know." He smugly states.

"When's your birthday, Alois?"

"November 5th."

"Ah, a few months ago." You sit upright and adjust your seating position so you can still comfortably speak to Alois. "I am awfully sorry I couldn't celebrate it with you. I hadn't even known you existed."

"You can always repay me in other ways . . ." His fingers lightly trail up your arm, making your breath hitch.

Upon seeing your startled and confused expression, he drops his hand and airily laughs. "Don't  _worry_ , sweetheart!" He sits up like you, slings an arm round your shoulders and places his finger under your chin. "I won't snatch your virginity away from you in the middle of the night, I promise."

A small smile plays on your lips. You have no reason to fear this boy, do you? Despondent and lonely vibes radiate from him; the least you can do is provide some company.

"However . . ."

_Oh no._

"I do so hope . . ."

He threads his fingers through your hair.

"That you wouldn't mind . . ."

You can feel his warm breath on your skin.

"Me stealing kisses instead?"

Instantly, the colour returns to your cheeks and you can exhale in relief. You wonder how Alois fluently transforms from an enticing deity to an adorable child beyond criticism.

"You're completely free to." You reply, turning your head. You didn't quite calculate that with that movement, you'd find yourself in a very short distance from the blonde's lips.

"Well, then," he smirks, "I suppose," he places his cool hand on your warming cheek, "that  _this_ ," he, somehow, moves even closer to you, "wouldn't be a problem."

All of a sudden, there's a feeling of warmth on your face where your lips are. Excitement flares up your abdomen and you're struggling to breathe.

_Is this what kissing feels like? Or are you just choosing not to breathe?_

You've been starved of love for all your life - any sort of affection was nonexistent and very foreign to you. So now, when you have a beautiful boy very close to you with romantic intentions, you're very unsure of what to do.

It doesn't feel uncomfortable in any way; you're very much enjoying it. But what are you meant to do? Put your arms round him? Move closer?  Soon, your lack of a reaction becomes clear to Alois as he separates himself from you. Sadness is evident on his features as he asks, "Are you not enjoying it?"

You blink.

Your silence was a bad choice as Alois becomes more upset.

"You don't like me, is that it?" His eyes glass over with what you think are tears.

Immediately, you begin assuring him. "No, of course I enjoyed it, Alois! I do very much like you. I just . . . my whole life, I've never experienced love or affection, and now that it's right in front of me, I have no clue on how to deal with it. I don't know whether to profess my undying adoration to you or stay quiet or . . ."

You're at a loss for words and your arms are trying to elaborate your point.

Alois' face is blank, his bright eyes wide.

"So . . ." he begins, tentatively holding your hand. " . . . you  _do_  like me?"

There's a small silence before you laugh slightly. "I've told you about my lack of experience with love and you're just worried that I don't like you."

"Because I like you! A lot." Alois snaps a little. You flinch, but he continues in the same faintly aggressive tone. "I don't want you to leave like everyone else. You  _can't_ leave." His grip on your hand is gradually tightening and your gaze flashes from his clasp to his face.

"I care a lot about you, Alois. I wouldn't leave you, at least not any time soon. I mean, I can't vouch for what Ciel would do, but-"

"Ciel  _can't_   have you back. You belong here now. This will be your home." Alois states firmly, very matter-of-fact. "You're not happy at the Phantomhive manor; it's crystal clear. You must stay with me.

Besides!" Out of nowhere, a bright smile appears on his face and his voice is dripping in honey. "It's Valentine's Day, and you'll be my valentine!"

Your eyebrows furrow in confusion. It's true - you never have been content back at the manor and you do love spending time with Alois. You're happier here than you have been your entire life. Why leave?

At the same time, you recall why Ciel never attended the ball - he didn't wish to associate with Alois. After hearing the other side, you're just as confused as you were before. It's evident they had a vehement feud at some point. But over what? Ciel did say Alois tried to kill him, but Alois' tearful woes led you to believe there was reason behind the blonde's actions.

You met Alois two months ago and only spent a few hours with him. Now you find yourself at his manor and him demanding you stay with him. There are five different sides of him that you've seen in just ten minutes, not to mention his clingyness.

Why should that matter, though?

If he makes you happy and you don't feel uncomfortable with him, especially with how little you know about love (and he definitely has that in abundance) there isn't any need for you to leave.

He's really starting to grow on you.

You beam at him. "You do make a compelling argument."

Instantly, his face lights up and in turn makes you happy as well. He attacks your neck and collarbone with rapid kisses, making you laugh. 

You're not entirely sure, but you think you hear a couple "I love you"s in between.


	9. r u mine? because i wanna be yours

**| Chapter Seven |**

"As you are my valentine, _Name_," Alois begins, lightly tracing his fingers along your bare arm, "I must treat you to a day out on this momentous occasion."

Sitting up properly, you mull over what Alois could be suggesting with that statement. You've been to central London before - the theatre, the shops and parlours, you've seen them all. The restaurants were a personal favourite of yours, especially the one that served Middle Eastern cuisine.

The last time you visited those places was quite some time ago, though. It wouldn't hurt to go again, all things considered.

"A day out in central London?" you ask.

He nods, confirming your beliefs. "From The Globe theatre to my personal favourite restaurant, we'd see everything. I haven't been to London in a while so it's perfectly convenient for me to take my maiden there and revisit my beloved centre."

This makes you laugh slightly. " _I'm_  your maiden?"

"Of course you are!" he exclaims, incredulous. "I don't confess my love to every girl that comes to my quarters, you know."

"So you have many girls coming to your quarters?" You raise a brow, amused by how he's phrasing himself.

Realising how his last sentence sounded to you, he seems as if he's going to continue that idea. "Obviously, I  _used_  to." He smirks as he continues, "Women used to thrust themselves into my arms daily. Whispering their affections and placing their hands on many areas."

The way he drawls all that sets you off in a fit of giggles as you try to reply, "Really, Alois?"

"Why would I lie about all the women who  _clearly_  adore me?" Now he smiles sweetly as he muses, "Rather they adore my wealth and estate than my entrancing charm . . ."

"You are quite the charmer." Lightly threading his blond hair through your fingers, you return the smile. "I can't fathom why Ciel never appreciated you."

 **(a/n: seriously, ciel and alois should have run away together and i will never understand why ciel wanted his** **_obvious soulmate_ ** **dead)**

Your cold hands cup Alois's pale face. His soft cheeks move as he blows a raspberry.

"Forget Ciel! I no longer need the affections of those who don't love me." His pale eyes flash as they look into yours.

"Especially not when I have you."

Instantly, your heart swells when you hear him say such a sweet thing. Each minute your feelings for this earl heighten and your chest blooms with warmth.

"You  _are_  mine, right?" Alois whispers, his face resembling childlike upset and fear once again. "Because, I would so love to be yours."

In an attempt to lighten the suddenly heavy atmosphere, you pretend to think over his question, furrowing your brow. "Ah, well . . . I can't say no to a face like yours, can I?"

***

** [ Phantomhive Manor ] **

Self-control is an awfully difficult concept, Ciel has come to notice.

Even after several years of learning how to compose himself in the most arduous of circumstances, the earl can't help but tighten his already deathly grip on his teacup.

Sebastian, heeding perfectly well to his master's stress, silently places the empty plate on the tray and takes his leave.

 _Distractions, distractions_  . . .

Anything to lure his mind off the elephant in the room.

 _Didn't I have that contract with the Funtom factory to read over_  . . .

Said contract was concealed under countless other pieces of unattended paperwork. It had barely been a day since her disappearance but Ciel already forgot his responsibilities. As soon as Caroline had hurried to his room, raving about a missing _Name_, his thoughts instantly flicked to that damn blond bastard who he should have killed all those years ago.

A search party did cross his mind but he thought it too conspicuous; he didn't want to seem unorganised to the Queen, now, did he? No, he would have to deal with the dilemma, in a civilised manner, himself.

Naturally, her room was checked and all they found was an open window and tousled sheets. The windows had been locked from the outside, and the only key was in his possession. His first thought was how she probably smashed the window, but the glass was untouched.

Upon further inspection, the outside lock was tampered with, but certainly not with a key. He had his suspicion on Alois, of course, but that also left the question . . .

_Why would he wait two months to go back to her?_

Logically, it made no sense since Ciel always thought Alois as a demanding brat that wanted everything exactly when he asked for it.

 _Then again . . . it_ **_had_ ** _been 5 years . . ._

Ciel heaves another deep breath.

Although it hadn't been all that long, Ciel had spent quite a many hour contemplating why she left. Yes, she was trapped in a room against her will, but it was all to help her. The dangers of the outside world were too great; he knew that better than anyone. She was kept perfectly entertained with the drawing materials and books she was given. All her days were spent in bed, which is certainly something he wished he had the choice to do.

He mentally continued to justify why she never should have left until the study door receives a ringing knock.

Once he recognises it as Lizzie's, he allows her to enter. Her warm smile is pleasantly welcomed in his current world of turmoil. She quickly walks up behind his desk and perches herself on his lap.

For a good few minutes, all is quiet.

"I hope you're trying to look for her . . ." she says slowly. "She  _is_  your sister."

"Who clearly wasn't happy here . . ." Ciel huffs, leaning his chin on his hand.

Lizzie pulls a face, wanting to play with his frustration. "After  _all_  you've done for her!"

The young man is about to exclaim in agreement, but once he sees her facial expression, he understands.

She raises a brow, content with her sarcasm's effect, and continues, "She's upset, and to be fair, you drove her to her departure. You should find her and talk to her, understand things from her perspective."

Exasperated, Ciel snaps. "Every time I consider talking to her, she pulls off an idiotic stunt! I was considering discussing her suitor situation the night she left for that bloody ball, and when I had no other choice but to keep her away, I was planning to have a proper conversation a month after, when she decides to run off to who knows where!"

Lizzie hops off his lap and maintains a steel face. "You have an abundance to  _consider_  now, Ciel." With that, she flounces out the door.

Now that he's once again alone, Ciel returns to his thoughts.

_Who is she to say anything? If she truly cared about _Name_, would she not have mentioned anything before? They rarely even spoke to each other, _Name_ was almost hostile to her._

His gaze flickers over to a few glass jars lined on top of his bookshelf. Each contain a specimen of fluorescent butterfly, from a Great Monarch to a small garden variety with wings that were mismatched colours.

The small one with the odd wings triggers a memory of his. Lizzie laughing. The clink of jars. _Name_'s voice, insisting to name it . . .

 _Alice_.

He could've sworn he saw a twitch.

***

** [ Trancy Manor ] **

"Shit, shit, shit . . ."

Alois mutters as he discards outfit after outfit, throwing them over his shoulder. 

"They're all fucking shit, Hannah!" He whirls round and glare at his maid dead in her single eye. "Where are all my  _proper_  clothes?"

Hannah lowers her head and says quietly, "I presented all the clothes you normally wear, your highness."

Alois' lip curls into a snarl. Heaving a deep breath, he calms himself before saying, "I know that you very much value your last eye, Hannah. And I know you definitely do not want to lose it, do you?"

She fervently shakes her head.

"To be fair, I don't want to be inconvenienced with your blood either. So, when I ask you to bring me appropriate clothes for a day out with my maiden, I don't expect to see shitty rags presented to me." Violently, he thrusts one of his shirts up.

"Look, Hannah."

Slowly, she raises her head, only to have her face harshly grasped by Alois' pale hands.

"I wouldn't even wipe my arse with this, much less wear it in front of _Name_. Bring Claude to me with _better_  clothes to wear." With that, he releases her face and snarls. "Get out of my sight."

"Y-yes, your highness." Quickly, Hannah gathers all the clothes on the bed and hurries away.

On your way back from the bathroom, you feel a strong breeze rush past. You turn slightly and see it's Hannah, holding a pile of garments and rushing at such a fast pace. The door she walked out of is slightly open.

 _Curiosity killed the cat_  . . . 

Quietly, you make your way over to the door, and peer inside. Alois, dressed in flattering booty shoots and a loose shirt is rummaging through his wardrobe, angrily muttering to himself.

You don't wish to startle him, but seeing him annoyed does encourage you to see why he's feeling that way.

. .  _. but satisfaction brought it back._

It must have been the tap of your shoe that made Alois whip round and begin to say, "Finally, you took your fucking time, Clau-"

He blinks.

_No one's there._

Quietly breathing, you press your back into the wall next to the door. As soon as you heard your shoe emit a noise, you instantly hid. Your reasoning behind it was how you wouldn't appreciate it if someone walked in on you changing, so Alois would surely feel the same.

Slowly, you sit, back sliding down the wall. 

You were originally walking down the corridor in search of Hannah since you realised that, to go on a day out in central London, you needed proper clothes. And the only garments in your possession at that moment were two thin nightgowns.

Now, you felt like a downright idiot.

_My newfound boyfriend wants to take me on a date and here I am walking around in the nightgown I woke up in, and the only person who could help me change passed me by five minutes ago and I was too much of a slow thinker to ask her._

**(a/n: well . . . when you say it like _that_ ,,, ,,)**

Suddenly, the air thickens with a cold edge. You glance up and see Claude raising an eyebrow at your position.

Your expression is most likely that of a goldfish, so you just awkwardly stare back at the butler.

With no emotion or reaction to you whatsoever, he strides into Alois' room to attend his master.

Figuring that Alois is now distracted and will not hear you, you mutter "je suis prêt pour la mort," exasperatedly as you rise and storm off. How are you already fucking things up? You've been away from the Phantomhive manor for barely a day and here you are forgetting shit and presenting yourself as a bumbling fool to your potential soulmate's butler.

 _Hannah, Hannah, Hannah ._. .

You scan along the corridors in search of the maid.

On your travels, you spot . . .  _Canterbury_? Or, at least, you  _think_  it's Canterbury. Perhaps it's Thompson; regardless, you need someone to direct you to Hannah.

Placing your hand on the servant's shoulder, he immediately stops and focuses his attention on you.

"Hello . . ."

The servant senses your apprehension to state the correct name so he deadpans, "Timber."

"Timber! Right, yes . . . I'm awfully sorry, I'm still getting to grips with names. I was wondering if you had perhaps seen Hannah by any chance?"

Monotonously, he replies, "She was fetching Claude for his highness. Now, she should be arranging laundry."

"Thank you!" You're almost about to run off again but turn back to Timber.

"Do you, by any chance, know where-"

"Take a left, then it's the third door to your right."

Relieved, you thank him and hurry off again, following his directions. You just about crash into the laundry room, breathing heavily. Hannah, abruptly halting her work, turns around to see you, dishevelled and clearly stressed, in the doorway.

She's about to say something, but you quickly enter the room, shut the door, and drop yourself onto a stool opposite her.

"M'lady . . ." The maid places her pile of clothes on the nearest flat surface. "Are you alr-"

"No, Hannah." Your hair becomes more messy as you rake your fingers through it, clearly stressed. "I am  _not_  alright."

You're tempted to become suicidal in French again, but decide you must stay at least semi-composed.

Hannah furrows her eyebrows, confused. As you are her master's mistress, she wants to assist you but you're not making her job very easy.

"Essentially, I need proper clothes to wear with Alois today."

She blinks.

_That's all?_

With the way you crashed in, looking completely agitated, Hannah's immediate thoughts were you regretting coming here and no longer feeling anything for her master. She mentally sighs in relief; you weren't planning on breaking his highness' heart.

"Ah, well . . . that's a problem with a simple solution, m'lady . . ."


	10. reflections

**| Chapter Eight** **|**

Hannah, you've come to learn, is more than Alois' silent servant. Prior to you approaching her, she never spoke a word and obeyed all of Alois' commands to the letter. In fact, you sensed fear from her whenever the blond would bark her name. You hate to imagine the girl's eyepatch being Alois' doing, but . . .

"I think this suits your eye colour." Her mumble is so quiet you almost didn't catch it. She holds up different coloured dresses up to your figure, and squints as if to further assess their suitability. Her near silence is definitely worrisome for you; you're used to Caroline's talkative nature back home. Despite your short stay in the Trancy household, you were quickly picking up the clear hierarchy. It wasn't a mystery as to who was on top.

"Hannah," you slowly begin. 

She looks up at you, slightly smiling and humming in response.

"How long have you been here?" You shuffle your legs, half out of nerves and half because they were cramping. "Serving Alois, I mean."

Taken aback, she blinks. A whole array of emotions flash across her navy irises, none fully discernible. She opens her mouth, then shuts it again. "I suppose it has been . . . almost a decade." She mulls you over, unsure of how much she can reveal. "One could say, it is my duty to care for his Highness for the foreseeable future."

You narrow your eyes, feeling your question wasn't adequately answered. "Why do you call him that?"

Hannah's eyes flit to yours briefly as she continues comparing dresses. "I must. It is what he wishes."

Further confusion etches your features. Whilst Alois has his controlling moments, you ponder how he has never asked you to refer to him as such. You wouldn't object, obviously. But it does raise the question of Alois' past, which he has tiptoed around. You know Ciel had some part in it, but Alois has only given hints and you're still in the dark. Then there's also the matter of Alois' childhood. During the masquerade, you had heard idle gossip of it but didn't dwell on the implications. The thought transports you back to the hazy memory.

_The music has grown soft and envelopes you in a dreamy haze. Not entirely sure if it's the drink in your hand or the piano lulling you, you shrug and take another sip. Slowly, you walk behind other nobles with no clear location in mind. The pretentious chatter and haughty laughter rings in your ears as you do so._

_"I'm simply astounded at how far he has come." Sharp and opinionated, this voice is fearless. As inconspicuously as you can, you try positioning yourself to listen in._

_"Oh, Evangeline, whatever do you mean?"_ _Your nose crinkles at how pompous they sound; it's almost painful to continue listening. Turning your head, you see the source of the two voices. Two noblewomen, adorned with enough jewellery to make the Queen herself envious, converse animatedly. It's apparent how little else these women have to do other than sit around and talk. You feel happy being sheltered so much that you didn't have to interact with such snobs regularly._

_The first woman (who you can now identify as Evangeline) has features that match her voice  −  sharp  and cutthroat. She leans forward to the second woman, a smirk on her lips. "Well, some say Alois Trancy wasn't always a wealthy earl. With the way the previous Earl Trancy suddenly passed, aren't you a little suspicious as well?"_

_Shock paints the face of the second woman. Her bright eyes widen as her hand flies to her mouth. "I can't believe you are insinuating such foulplay, Evangeline!" Suddenly, pure malice replaces her expression. "Tell me more."_

_Evangeline seems all too pleased to deliver. "Think about it, dear Helena. No one knew the boy existed until the previous Earl's funeral. Not to mention the entertaining performance he displayed on the coffin."_

_"There were the rumours surrounding the previous Earl as well. We were always hushed whenever mentioning it, but he was awfully horrid at hiding his dark desires." Helena furrows her eyebrows as if contemplating, then gasps. "You don't think−"_

_Chin raised slightly, Evangeline gravely nods. "I'm not exactly London's renowned detective but I have a strong feeling this darling blond here took advantage of the previous Earl to further his own power. The old man was nearing his time anyway, it wouldn't be that troublesome to easily−" She drags her finger across her bejewelled throat._

_This time, Helena is even worse at hiding the thrill this gossip is giving her. The woman giggles behind her hand and dramatically places her hand on Evangeline's arm. "Oh you are devilish! Downright sinister, I say."_

_Evangeline bats her eyelashes, which, from your angle, highlights how spidery they look. "You didn't hear it from me, though, dear." They then burst into quiet laughter._

_"Regardless, I do so hope he invites us to his wedding . . ."_

_As the two drone on, you take your leave. Your feet carry you back to the refreshments table. Whilst your eyes are focused on some more of that liquid you were sipping, your mind was reflecting on what you just heard. The upper class of London were known as ruthless and uncaring  −  you were raised by two of them. However, you had never considered one utilising murder and manipulation as means to attain power. Granted you hadn't even met the infamous Alois Trancy yet, and knew even less about the rumours of the previous Earl, you still can't help the shiver travelling down your spine._

_Suddenly, your corset feels tighter._

Actually speaking to Alois completely transformed your view on him. He went from a potential murderer, to a suave gentleman, to an unpredictable enigma that captured your heart. It was difficult seeing the negative image Ciel and other nobles painted of him when you gazed into his deep eyes. You doubted he showed this side of himself to others, and you felt humbled he entrusted you with his love. You definitely don't plan on letting it go anytime soon.

You just hope he entrusts you with the truth about his past too.

" . . . don't you think?" Hannah's soft tone pierces your trance. Blinking, you refocus your vision on the maid showing a pastel-coloured dress. It looks like it would hug your figure whilst also leaving more to the imagination, and the skirt isn't too wide either. You approve.

"Um, yes. It looks lovely." You hurriedly reply, not wanting to seem rude to your new friend.

A small smile adorns Hannah's face. She then assists you in wearing the dress, and you groan at the sensation of another corset. She applies makeup as light as she can, wanting to preserve your "natural beauty" and places a thin necklace around your neck. It's silver and compliments the lighter colour of your dress.

You observe your reflection in a mirror, and twirl a small piece of your hair around your finger. You haven't been this dolled up since you attended the masquerade.

Hannah gently smooths your hair down, also looking at your reflection. She's gazing at you so sweetly, and it warms your heart. 

"Thank you, Hannah. I can't begin to articulate how much I appreciate your help." This startles her, but she quickly adjusts and smiles.

"It was a pleasure." Her slender fingers deftly slide an ornate hairpiece onto the crown of your head. "I am more than willing to assist his Highness' source of happiness."

Albeit she phrased it a tad oddly, it was charming nonetheless. You were grateful for how she helped you without hesitation.

A loud shout breaks the comfortable silence between you two. "Where is my _Name_?! She's been gone for over an hour and−"

You assume the quieter voice that follows Alois is Claude dispelling his qualms. Taking this as your cue to leave, you rise from your seat.

Hannah politely bows her head. She smiles once more as you begin to walk out. Turning around, you smile as wide and as kind as you possibly can. With that, you hurry towards the sound of Alois' voice.

_He sounds as if he is right . . ._

You take another turn, paying close attention to Alois' clicking footsteps. 

_. . . there!_

Soon you spot him, his figure shrouded in a large trench coat. He's impatiently tapping his foot, glaring darkly at Claude who wordlessly stands beside him. 

Once Alois notices your presence, he instantly straightens up and the largest grin bursts onto his face. He rushes over to you, encasing you in a tight hug. This knocks the air out of you but you wrap your arms around him, returning the gesture. He pulls back, only to attack your face with fervent kisses, as if he didn't see you barely two hours ago. Your gaze is locked with his, and your eyes dart between his cerulean ones. He seems awestruck. His eyes flit around your face, and momentarily rest on your necklace.

"I found you." he whispers. His voice has such profound euphoria you almost want to cry.

You smile back, holding his hands in yours.

"It seems as though I'm caught in your web." You carefully say, lips brushing against his soft knuckles. Alois visibly pauses, as if you just reset his brain activity. His eyes grow warm and loving, and his forehead finds itself resting against yours.

Of course, you two still have places to go. Claude doesn't hesitate to remind you of this with his sharp cough. "The carriage awaits, your Highness."

Alois tears his gaze away from you to his butler. There's hostility but only for a moment. He turns back to you, shifting his position so he can offer you his arm.  _How gentlemanly._

"Shall we?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ahahah hi guys!! 
> 
> i updated this on my wattpad (@allucinoctis hehe) a couple months ago but i completely forgot to update it here as well sksksk so here it is!!
> 
> thank youuuu for all your ongoing love and support, i can't articulate how much it warms my heart when i get a sweet comment about how much they enjoy this fic. i'm so honoured to be able to provide this small bit of happiness for you all and i hope you continue to enjoy all future chapters! 
> 
> once again, thank you so much! you have all my uwu's <3


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